Ship-breakers demand implementation of safety rules

Labour leaders told a rally on Sunday that the lives of thousands of Pakistani ship-breakers are at stake because the government is not ready to intervene and implement workplace safety and health rules at shipyards.

The National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) and the Ship-breaking Workers Union Gadani organised a rally to mark the fourth anniversary of the Gadani shipyard fire.

On November 1, 2016, a floating oil production tanker had caught fire and killed at least 28 workers, leaving scores of others missing and more than 50 people injured. The fire itself took seven days to be extinguished.

NTUF General Secretary Nasir Mansoor said that four years have already passed since the tragedy, but the government and the departments concerned have failed to provide safety and legal protection to ship-breakers.

“As a result, ship-breakers today are forced to work in the worst conditions, as the implementation of labour laws and health and safety rules have become a distant dream.”

NTUF President Rafiq Baloch lamented that there is still no proper law in place for the workers of shipyards, which can result in another big tragedy.

Ship-breaking Workers Union Gadani President Bashir Ahmed Mehmoodani said they have been complaining against the non-implementation of health and safety measures at the Gadani shipyards for a long time now. “But the government, the yard owners and the related government departments have never taken these complaints seriously.”